Winning the Prize
by aomurasakiai
Summary: [{(COMPLETE)}] InuKai pairing. Based on the last 10 minutes of episode 123 - Conclusion of the Remembered Game (THE InuKai episode) as well as my version of what happened afterward.


Disclaimers: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. This is for entertainment purposes only. No money being made.

Author: aomurasakiai  
Title: Winning the Prize  
Warnings: Shounen Ai (possible kissing, depending where you stopped), Sap/WAFF  
Pairings: Inui/Kaidoh  
Spoilers: Episode 123 – Conclusion of the Remembered Game  
Rating: PG  
Special Thanks: My one and only beta, Deb!!

Putting all of his weight on one foot, Inui propelled himself to the right and managed to catch the ball that Renji had smashed from the net. Even though the ball was spinning against his racket, the bespectacled third-year was still able to shoot it back behind his ex-doubles partner, earning his point. But the momentum caused him to lose his balance as well as his glasses.

**"Game! Seigaku Inui. Six games to five. Change court."**

Getting up and walking over to retrieve his fallen glasses, Inui gingerly picked them up from the ground and noted the long crack in one of the lenses. He sighed inwardly. It was one of his best pairs, but luckily he did have a spare in his bag.

Despite his bad vision, the third-year made his way to the coach's bench where his bag was. He opened it and quickly rummaged around inside to find his second pair of eyeglasses. Inui did feel a little self-conscious; he knew that he looked considerably different without his glasses on.

"Just a bit more. Do your best," Ryuzaki-sensei said.

"Hai," Inui replied before putting on his glasses. Immediately the blurriness went away and he saw Kikumaru making a bored-looking Echizen wave the "Victory" sign at him before the first-year gave a thumbs-up. The red-haired teen also said something nonsensical but it released the tension Inui was feeling about the game as well as his slight uneasiness about everyone seeing his naked face.

All that was forgotten as he turned to look at the other members of the Seigaku Tennis Club: Kikumaru had his arm thrown over Horio's shoulder with one thumb up; Horio with both thumbs up; Momoshiro had his arm bent at the elbow and his hand grabbing his biceps; Kachirou was following Momoshiro's pose; and Katsuo gave him two "Victory" signs. Looking upward, Oishi gave him another "Victory" sign, various other members had their thumbs up as well as Fuji, and Kawamura proudly held up the Seigaku flag. The two, first-year girls, Osakada and Ryuzaki, were smiling at him and Arai gave him a thumbs-up.

Finally glancing up at the top row, there stood Kaidoh with his thumb up like the others, his eyes intense and his face strict. Strangely enough, Inui smiled at the sight of the bandana-clad second-year. Then he turned his attention to the rest of the Seigaku tennis team

"Minna…" Inui acknowledged everyone as he returned with their encouragement his own thumbs-up. He placed his cracked glasses safely inside his bag before he turned to his ex-doubles partner.

"Sorry. It's okay now," he told Renji before taking his place and waiting for the other's serve.

----

As the match resumed, Kaidoh intently watched his senpai play.

_'Senpai, you will definitely win.'_

Kaidoh remembered all the times he had trained with Inui-senpai, ever since before the matches against Hyotei. Inui-senpai had told him, taught him about increasing training levels the correct way. He had learned more about the human body and the precautions that must be taken since he was still growing. And he had learned the reasons why Inui-senpai started Data Tennis.

But then, if he had been training 2.25 times more than what was expected, how hard had Inui-senpai been training?

_'You've trained several times more… no, even more than that.'_

Thinking back, Kaidoh knew deep down how hard his senpai had been training for Rikkaidai. During his daily jogging about a month ago, he had seen Inui-senpai running by the river in the afternoon; and when he had been heading home for dinner, he had seen him practicing hitting countless tennis balls against a wall.

A couple weeks prior, Kaidoh had been walking by his senpais' classroom and saw the bespectacled third-year with his head down on his desk. A sign was taped to his back with "Function Ceased" written on it in Inui-senpai's neat handwriting. Later that same week, he had seen his senpai running up the stairs to a shrine with his ankle weights on.

_'I understand more than anyone else that you put in a lot of effort that nobody can duplicate.'_

After they ran into each other as he was coming down the stairs from the shrine, Inui-senpai had once again invited him to train with him. Kaidoh had told him that he had been fine-tuning his accuracy and control by hitting empty soda cans from a distance. Naturally, Inui-senpai tried it and noted in his notebook that it was indeed, good practice. Afterwards, the third-year had treated his kouhai to a drink, upon which Kaidoh had promptly passed out after taking a sip of Inui's bright green concoction that looked suspiciously like something one would find in a biohazard laboratory.

Inui-senpai had had to help him back to his house after the long training session that was topped off with indigestion. A few hours later, Kaidoh was lying on the couch, awake and feeling better. He had been inwardly glad that his parents and his younger brother weren't home for whatever unknown reason. Inui-senpai was sitting on the opposite side of the small table, writing in his green notebook. The younger teen had turned his head away, avoiding the other due to his slight embarrassment.

But the third-year had surprised him by showing him his prized green notebook. Sitting up, Kaidoh had wondered how many people were given privilege to see Inui-senpai's notes. He had felt… happy at the time, as if he'd been given a rare gift: a senpai's trust. But with Inui-senpai, he felt that the trust probably ran much deeper than he realized.

_'That's why…'_

Kaidoh had listened intently as Inui-senpai explained the various notes he had collected over the years. He had been surprised at the information the other had on him, especially things that Kaidoh thought no one knew about. But he had noticed small red bumps on the third-year's hand and without thinking, he took a hold of his senpai's wrist. Inui-senpai halted his explanation in surprise and remained silent as the younger teen scrutinized his calloused hand.

Staring at all the angry red bumps on the once pale skin of his senpai, the second-year had realized with a shock how hard the older teen was pushing himself with his training. But, Inui-senpai had only smiled and told him not to worry.

_'You have to win, Inui-senpai.'_

**"Thirty - all!"** announced the referee and the Seigaku team cheered Inui for making the point. Kaidoh continued to watch his senpai push himself harder to make the final two scores and win the match. But Rikkaidai wasn't going to let it end so soon.

**"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku Yanagi. Six games - all. Twelve points tiebreaker. Seigaku Inui to serve."**

Kaidoh felt his heart rapidly beating as the rally began. Inui-senpai would gain one point only to have Rikkaidai steal the next. Back and forth it went and before he knew it, the tiebreaker had already exceeded twelve points.

**"Sixteen - all!"**

The second-year continued watched in amazement. This tiebreaker match could very well rival Buchou's tiebreaker match against Hyotei's Atobe.

**"Twenty-two - twenty-one!"**

He couldn't even afford to blink, keeping his eyes fixedly on Inui-senpai.

**"Twenty-four - all!"**

It had gone on for a long time. Both were probably exhausted beyond their respective limits. But Kaidoh knew… and he couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Win, Inui-senpai!"

The bespectacled teen responded with a smash, earning him another point.

**"Twenty-six - twenty-seven!"**

And the numbers continued to increase…

**"Twenty-nine - twenty-eight!"**

**"Twenty-nine - all!"**

**"Thirty - twenty-nine!"**

**"Thirty - all!"**

Kaidoh held his breath, his eyes unblinkingly staring at the two tenacious players on the court. Inui-senpai had to win. He just…

**"Game and match! Seigaku Inui."**

Upon hearing that declaration, Kaidoh released the breath inside his lungs with relief.

**"Seven games to six."**

Inui-senpai had won.

----

"Inui, we knew you could do it," Oishi told him at the stands while Kawamura nodded in agreement.

"I can't believe you won, Inui-senpai!" Momoshiro said excitedly.

"Iiinuuuiiiii!!!" Kikumaru pounced onto his back and wrapped his legs around his waist. "Wai, you won!"

"Eiji! Let Inui go," Oishi scolded, mildly in shock that the enthusiastic teen was rubbing against the other. But, the red-haired teen did hop off and everyone had a good laugh. They all left to see Fuji get ready for his match against Kirihara Akaya, leaving Kaidoh and Inui alone. The taller teen turned to the other.

"I shut the crowd up… didn't I?" he asked his kouhai. That came as a surprise to Kaidoh since he had said those exact words earlier in the match.

_'How did Inui-senpai know…?' _ The second-year lowered his eyes and answered his own question.

_'Because Inui-senpai always knows.'_ Kaidoh smiled and looked up, holding up his senpai's light green towel. But instead of grabbing the towel, Inui's hand gently covered his own.

"I-Inui-senpai…" Kaidoh tried to pull away but his senpai's hand held firmly onto his own.

"I just want to say, 'Arigato'. You've believed in me since the very beginning." Then his hand was released as Inui-senpai took the green towel and walked away, wiping his sweating brow. Kaidoh stood unmoving, his hand still warm from the other's touch.

Owari (or not?)

Author's Notes: This is actually a good place to end the fic but I did write a little more for those of you who feel it isn't a satisfying ending. Continue on if you wish. (Strangely for me, I like this ending better… Ah well.)

----Afterwards…----

Kaidoh found Inui standing underneath a tree, scribbling in his ever-present notebook.

"What are you doing, Inui-senpai?" The taller teen smiled and paused in his writing.

"Updating my data on Yanagi Renji," Inui told him. Finishing off writing the last few details, he closed his 'Top Secret Volume' and looked up at the sun.

"Are you going to play another match against him soon?" Kaidoh asked. Smiling again, Inui turned to the younger teen.

"You know, Renji and I were once doubles partners. I wanted to be partners forever and maybe even conquer the world together, but… four years, two months, and fifteen days ago, he only said 'gomen' to me and moved on." The bandana-clad teen listened to Inui-senpai's story intently. Here was a chance to learn more about his senpai.

"Perhaps I was a bit selfish back then." He paused for a while, contemplating his next words. "Today, I learned that Renji couldn't have stayed my partner forever because people change. He has changed…" Inui dropped his voice and walked over to his kouhai.

"… and I have changed," he whispered, brushing away a lock of Kaidoh's errant hair and tucking it behind the other's ear.

"Wh-What are you…" But Kaidoh could say no more as Inui gently pressed his lips against his. It was an incredibly soft kiss, and instead of pushing the taller teen away, he slowly relaxed. He felt a strong arm wrap itself around his waist, pulling him closer against his senpai. The second-year didn't realize that he had closed his eyes until the kiss ended and he opened them.

"Inui-senpai…" he said, breathing heavier than before. Kaidoh was still pressed up against Inui's body and the other's arm was keeping him in place. He could feel his heart beat as fast as it had during the match.

"I've thrown away my past." With one last tender smile, the taller teen released his hold.

"Let's go, Kaidoh," Inui said, stepping away. "Fuji's match is about to begin." Kaidoh watched as his senpai walked away, and with a small smile of his own, he jogged after him to catch up, keeping about two feet of distance between them.

"Inui-senpai," Kaidoh said after a moment.

"Hmm? What is it?" Inui responded without looking back.

"You look… different without your glasses on…"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Good. No, I mean… It's a very good thing."

"Then, should I consider investing in a pair of contacts?"

"Well…"

"Don't worry, Kaidoh," the third-year chuckled. "I won't let just anyone see me with them on." The younger teen was taken aback but another smile crept across his lips.

"Aa, Inui-senpai…"

As they were nearing the courts, they heard loud cheering from Rikkaidai but Seigaku was just as spirited, especially with Inui's win.

Owari (for real this time!)


End file.
